Players don’t necessarily need to start a new farm forStardew Valley’s 1.6 update, but they may want to.Stardew’s 1.6 updateis one of the most significant patches ever to have been applied to the game. It adds tons more for players to do, with new crops, new farm types, new events, new secrets, and so much more. It was released way back in March 2024 for PC players, butconsole players have been waiting patientlyever since.
But that September, developer ConcernedApe came out with an update, announcingStardew1.6’s official release date on consolesand mobile platforms would be November 4. With that date fast approaching, it’s only natural for those who haven’t delved into the update yet to wonder whether it’s worth starting from scratch with a new farm, or simply dusting off their old saves. While each option has its pros and cons, there’s a clear and correct decision for every player, depending on their experience with the game to date.
Every Reason To Start A New Farm For Stardew Valley Version 1.6
Pros & Cons Of Starting A New Farm For The Update
Again, while it’s certainly not necessary to start a completely new farm to enjoy (almost) everything thatStardew Valley1.6 has to offer,the updated version is a completely new journey that may be worthy of a fresh beginning. In fact, that’s exactly what creator ConcernedApe recommends in a reply to the original console release date post on X (formerly Twitter):
In short,the new content is unlocked at an even pace throughout the player’s first couple of years in Pelican Town. On first beginning a new save, most new content will still be locked behind certain prerequisites. Players can’tattend the Desert Festival, for example, until they unlock the bus, and they can’t obtain many of the new seed types until they’ve completed the new raccoon quests. Even if they have a couple of years under their belts on older save files, once these are transferred to the updated version ofStardew, they’ll have to satisfy these prerequisites before they can enjoy all the new content.
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This can be overwhelming, and scrambling to unlock all the new content immediately after is hardly fun.When it comes to pacing, players are almost certainly better off starting a new farmfrom the very beginning, and unlocking things naturally as their first couple of years go by.
Besides that,there are a few pieces of content in the update that players can’t access unless they start a new save file, perhaps the foremost beingStardew1.6’s new Meadowlands Farm. This is a new map on which players can construct their homesteads. Each ofStardew’s different farm types is best suited to a particular profession: the Standard Farm is ideal for planting, the Riverland Farm for fishing, and the Forest Farm for foraging. The Meadowlands Farm, however, is designed specifically for animal raising. Players begin with a small coop and two chickens, and shortly thereafter, receive a beginning supply of hay.
Meadowlands Farms also grow special blue grass, which raises animals' heart levels faster, eventually improving the quality of their products.
Players must choose their farm type at the beginning of a new game, and can’t change it later without cheating or modding the game - both things that console players can’t do. However, other than the different map,there’s nothing inherent to the Meadowlands Farm that players can’t otherwise experience on any other farm type. They can still get coops and chickens (once they’ve saved up enough money to afford them), and can even grow blue grass by purchasing aBlue Grass Starterfrom the Walnut Room.
Besides that,some lines of dialogue and heart events have been added or altered in version 1.6. Whether or not a player will be able to see these without starting a new farm depends on their relationships in their old save; if they’ve already progressed past a certain heart event, they won’t be able to see its updated version. If their relationship with a particular character is too good for them to use a particular new line of dialogue, they won’t use it unless the player starts a new save.
Every Reason Not To Start A New Farm For Stardew Valley Version 1.6
Pros & Cons Of Keeping Your Old Save
The main reason not to start a new farm forStardew1.6 is thatit’s a major hassle. By the time they reach Year Three, most players are pretty set in theirways. They have their farms laid out as they like, they have established relationships with every NPC in town, they have theirpreferred methods of making money, and they have plenty of it saved up to spend every planting season. To start over from scratch is a big ask, even if it means getting to experience all the new content as it was meant to be.
Even so, as ConcernedApe himself admits,starting a new farm can be fun. Longer-running farms tend to run like clockwork, which can get a little boring. Much of the daily farm work becomes automated with animal feeders andIridium Sprinklers. When the player already has millions of gold, there’s little risk of overspending on seeds and having to budget carefully until the first harvest. This makes everything easier, less risky, yes, but it also makes it less fun.
If You Have “Any Interest” In Starting A New Farm For Version 1.6, Then You Should
Frankly, the best answer is in ConcernedApe’s original Tweet:a player who has “any interest” in creating a new farm for 1.6 should go ahead and do so. A player who really doesn’t want to abandon their old save should just pick up where they left off. The decision is one of personal preference. Feel like starting from scratch would present a fun challenge, or a unique experience? Go for it. Think it’d just be annoying, and cause a longing to return to an older save? Don’t even bother.
Those who have long since abandoned their old save files may find it easier to relearn the game from scratch. Those who still regularly check in on their old farms should probably continue with them once the update comes out. Of course,it’s entirely possible to start a new farm on a separate save file, and return to an older save at will. Both farms will have all the 1.6 content once the update is applied, so players are welcome to experiment and jump between save files at will.
So, while there are pros and cons to either option, whether it’s worth starting a new farm for version 1.6 mostly depends on individual preference and experience with the game. Either way, players can experience almost everythingStardew Valley1.6 has to offer just the same.
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is a charming indie farming scene that took the world by storm. After inheriting a run-down farm from their grandfather, the player moves to Stardew Valley to start a new life away from the city. Grow crops, raise animals, befriend the villagers, and discover the secrets the valley has to offer.
